The present invention relates to an automatic cleaning assembly for providing a dissolved cleaning agent to a toilet bowl after each flush.
Several prior art systems exist for cleaning a toilet bowl. By way of example and not limitation, U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,312 (hereinafter '312 Patent) provides a device for automatically cleaning the toilet bowl of a toilet. Upon flushing the toilet, water within the toilet bowl is flushed to the sewer system. Refill water is then introduced into the toilet bowl. The refill water has a dissolved cleaning agent to assist in cleaning the toilet bowl after each use. The device of the '312 Patent delays the introduction of refill water containing the dissolved cleaning agent into the toilet bowl until the contaminated toilet bowl water has been ejected out of the toilet bowl. The dissolved cleaning agent is not wastefully introduced into the toilet bowl when contaminated water is being discharged into the sewer system. Less of the fresh dissolved cleaning agent is flushed out with the contaminated toilet bowl water. Accordingly, the device of the '312 Patent delays the introduction of water with the dissolved cleaning agent until the optimal time to conserve the cleaning agent and extend the life of the cleaning assembly.
Another ingenious system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,392. This system extends the life of the cleaning agent by insuring that a level of the water in contact with the cleaning agent remains low to slowly dissolve the cleaning agent. This also conserves the cleaning agent thereby extending the life of the cleaning assembly.
There exists a need in the art for further improvements in automatic cleaning assemblies for providing dissolved cleaning agent to a toilet bowl after each flush.